The first town council election battle in Dartmouth for years has turned into a two-horse race.

Slugging it out in a by-election for the town council are Dartmouth mother-of-three Hayley Rundle and paediatrician Richard Cooke.

Nominations for the seat left vacant following the resignation of Paul Reach closed last Wednesday and residents in the town's Clifton Ward will be going to the polls on Thursday, May 3.

Mr Cooke has lived in Crowthers Hill for the last 11 years while teaching children's medicine in Liverpool but is now living in the town permanently.

He said that one of the reasons he had decided to stand in the election was because he was 'disappointed' that the town might not have an election and councillors could co-opt someone instead.

'It did not sound the right way to go about things,' he said.

He also said he was hoping to inject more enthusiasm in to the town council as he explained: 'There did seem a lot of apathy when I talked to people about the town council.'

He said he was keen to see young people in the town given more of a voice.

'One problem with Dartmouth is that it is skewed with people retiring here. Obviously you need to make provision for them, as with Dartmouth Caring, but there is a problem with the youth around here having quite a difficult time with poorly paid employment and difficulties in finding somewhere where to live.'

Ms Rundle lives in Victoria Road, Dartmouth, and is one of the advertisement sales staff at the Dartmouth Chronicle.

Ms Rundle was born and brought up in Dartmouth where she has also raised her daughters. She said: 'Mum, Dad, my sister and a lot of my extended family still live and work in the area.

'Having witnessed changes past and present throughout Dartmouth, I feel this is a very exciting time to be part of a town council that will help ensure the future for Dartmouth residents and youngsters as well as encourage their views and a vision for the town they live in and contribute to.

'As a resident of five generations of Veales in Dartmouth, I have a great deal of passion, enthusiasm and ability to deal with any challenge that may fall to me in an honest, discreet and constructive manner.

'I feel my knowledge of the town and its residents and my ability to listen would not just benefit them but also the town council.'

The pair will be contesting one of the 16 town council seats – 10 of which are in the Clifton ward and six in the Townstal ward.

Ten local electors had to request an election to force South Hams Council's election office to advertise for candidates.

It has been years since Dartmouth has been asked to go to the polls to elect a town councillor. At the last election not enough people stood to even fill all 16 seats so all the councillors who put their names forward were elected without a vote being cast.

Since then councillors have co-opted people to fill the empty seats and any resignations that followed.